A solar radiation heat sensor device includes: a black plate having a black surface; a silver plate having a silvery-white surface; a casing that supports the black plate and the silver plate in such a manner as to be exposed to an outside with the black surface and the silvery-white surface facing the same direction; a thermistor which is accommodated in the casing and is configured to measure temperatures of each of the black plate and the silver plate; and a processor configured to calculate a solar radiation heat amount based on a difference between the temperature of the black plate and the temperature of the silver plate, the temperatures being measured by the thermistor.

Various implementations relate generally to multi-sensor devices. Some implementations more particularly relate to a multi-sensor device including a ring of radially-oriented photosensors. Some implementations more particularly relate to a multi-sensor device that is orientation-independent with respect to a central axis of the ring. Some implementations of the multi-sensor devices described herein further include one or more additional sensors. For example, some implementations include an axially-directed photosensor. Some implementations also can include one or more temperature sensors configured to sense an exterior temperature, for example, an ambient temperature of an outdoors environment around the multi-sensor. Additionally or alternatively, some implementations include one or more of an infrared sensor or infrared sensors, a cellular communication circuit, and a GPS module.

Systems and methods are provided to determine glare information. An optical filter is configured to attenuate visible light and pass near-infrared light and an image sensor is configured to detect light reflected by a surface after the reflected light passes through the optical filter. The image sensor is further configured to generate image data comprising a detected near-infrared portion of the light reflected by the surface. Processing circuitry is configured to receive the image data from the image sensor and determine near-infrared glare information based on the received image. The near-infrared glare information can be used to adjust display parameter associated with the surface or characterize near-infrared glare properties of the surface.

In certain embodiments, a portable atmospheric monitor comprises a housing at least partially enclosing an inner chamber. The housing comprises an inlet and an aperture. The monitor also includes at least one light sensor arranged within the housing. The light sensor that senses one or more wavelengths of sunlight received via the aperture. The monitor includes at least one light-scattering sensor that senses PM received via the inlet. The monitor includes a processor arranged within the housing and coupled to the at least one light sensor and the at least one light-scattering sensor. The processor is configured to: receive a light signal from the at least one light sensor; receive a PM signal from the at least one light-scattering sensor; determine the aerosol optical depth based upon the light signal; and determine the PM concentration based upon the PM signal.

A charge control system includes: a charging device having a first processor configured to store electric power to be supplied to a preset area; and a charge control device having a second processor configured to acquire brightness information in the area, calculate a charge amount of the charging device on a basis of the acquired brightness information, and perform charge control of the charging device on a basis of the calculated charge amount. Further, when calculating the charge amount, the second processor calculates the charge amount in such a manner that the charge amount decreases as brightness in the area increases.

A system for monitoring ultraviolet (UV) exposure of a wearer. The system comprises a wearable device operable to sense UV radiation levels to which the wearer is exposed, and to transmit UV radiation information. The system further comprises an external computing device in remote communication with the wearable device, operable to receive the UV radiation information from the wearable device and configured to determine the wearer's real-time UV index value and the wearer's daily cumulative percentage of minimal erythema dose based upon the UV radiation information.

A system and method for array level terrain based backtracking includes a tracker configured to collect solar irradiance and attached to a rotational mechanism for changing a plane of the tracker and a controller in communication with a rotational mechanism. The controller is programmed to determine a position of the sun at a first specific point in time, retrieve height information, execute a shadow model based on the retrieved height information and the position of the sun, determine a first angle for the tracker; collect an angle for each tracker in a plurality of trackers in an array; adjust the first angle based on executing the shadow model with the first angle and the plurality of angles associated with the plurality of trackers; transmit instructions to the rotational mechanism to change the plane of the tracker to the adjusted first angle.

A method includes receiving outside temperatures for a plurality of days and calculating growing degree units based on the received temperatures. Intensities for a plurality of wavelengths of light measured over at least one portion of a field containing a crop are received and are used with the growing degree units to predict a quality value for the crop. The predicted quality value for the crop is then displayed.

Various implementations relate generally to a multi-sensor device. Some implementations more particularly relate to a multi-sensor device including a ring of radially-oriented photosensors. Some implementations more particularly relate to a multi-sensor device that is orientation-independent with respect to a central axis of the ring. Some implementations of the multi-sensor devices described herein also include one or more additional sensors. For example, some implementations include an axially-directed photosensor. Some implementations also can include one or more temperature sensors configured to sense an exterior temperature, for example, an ambient temperature of an outdoors environment around the multi-sensor. Additionally or alternatively, some implementations can include a temperature sensor configured to sense an interior temperature within the multi-sensor device. Particular implementations provide, characterize, or enable a compact form factor. Particular implementations provide, characterize, or enable a multi-sensor device requiring little or no wiring, and in some such instances, little or no invasion, perforation or reconstruction of a building or other structure on which the multi-sensor device is mounted.

Certain aspects pertain to a cloud detector comprising a first detector module directed to a first region of the sky and a second detector module directed to a second region of the sky. Each detector module has a tube enclosing one or more sensing elements. The one or more sensing elements of the first detector module are configured to take weather condition readings from the first region of the sky. The one or more sensing elements of the second detector module are configured to take weather condition readings from the second region of the sky. In one aspect, the cloud detector is configured to detect cloud cover based on these weather condition readings. In some cases, the one or more sensing elements comprise an infrared radiation detector (e.g., thermopile) for measuring infrared radiation intensity and a photosensor element for measuring sunlight intensity.